In NewAfrican:
While Tunisia continues to build a new democratic future and to reconstruct its economy in conventional ways, its new leaders and many Tunisians are also looking for inspiration in unlikely places – notably the country’s rich ancient history and culture. Faten Bushehri and David Meffe went to investigate.More here
"Amphitheatre El Jem(js)1" by Jerzystrzelecki - Own work. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
In an effort to pump life back into the struggling economy as a consequence of what happened after the fall of long-time ruler Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the country’s new government has promised to revive the shaky tourism industry by embracing ancient history and the diversity of culture across Tunisia as part of a new shared future.
“When the revolution started in 2011 tourism stopped. There was no tourism in Tunisia. Now it’s slowly picking up and it’s coming back. Everywhere is fully booked, but you don’t see the tourists on the main streets in the capital. They are usually visiting the old Souq and the Roman baths,” says Hassanain Al Aydi, a former tour guide at the Ministry of Tourism who now works with the Ministry of Culture.
“The ministry is encouraging every town in Tunisia to have its own heritage and traditional culture, and wants to preserve that. But it’s difficult.”
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